Hood Winked!

With all of those days you've spent breakin' your back and bustin' knuckles under the hood on your Double Nickel, it's time to take a closer look at that hood you've been under. Most of them by now have had to weather some serious storms brought on by both Mother Nature and mankind. They've endured hail, hacksaws and hood scoops, followed by who knows what. You probably have sighted down the peak of a few and seen the dip that most have acquired, along with those mandatory bent corners that run rampant. Just when you think you've found a cherry one, somewhere outside of Tucumcari, while being shipped, the freight driver drops his doughnut and hits that pothole, which brings your cherry hood down to the pits.

Fret no more. Let's put our hands up in the air and holler out loud because the search is over! C.A.R.S. has just introduced a brand new reproduction hood for '55 passenger cars. When you get your hands on one of these babies, you will see how much time and effort it took to bring us this piece. They have all the factory inner structure and bracing, the hood latch bolts right in, and the hinges bolt right up, as well.

Randy Maning's '55 two-door wagon gasser project needed a little help in the hood department, along with some parts and bright work up front. What's a guy to do? What anyone should do: call C.A.R.S., of course. Chris Basset at C.A.R.S., in Fullerton, California, fixed Randy up with a new hood, headlight rings, park light assemblies, a chrome grille and grille surround trim. Since that nice new hood is going to cover the straight-axle, 427/4-speed combo, Randy was anxious to see how everything was going to look in the most unlikely position--standing still.

With all of the new parts installed, Randy can see what else needs to be done in the garage and at the body shop to get things wrapped up. Despite the fact that the car had been hit in the past, and has since had the other sheetmetal pieces fixed and/or replaced, everything fit very well and will need only minor fitment for paint. There is only one concern that needs to be addressed as far as the hood goes: C.A.R.S. chose not to put any holes in the front for the "Chevrolet" scrip because of the different badges. They are working on maybe making templates for those holes, so stay in touch with them. You could also try to make a template yourself off your stock hood and drill the holes that way. Randy wasn't concerned because the "nosed" look fit in with the gasser theme. Speaking of the "look," Randy can hardly wait to get those tires smokin'!